Tickets and perfumes are bought from web stores, groceries and medication from conventional stores

According to an e-commerce research by Kantar Emor, the most popular selling items of web stores include concert, movie and theatre tickets, perfume products and electronics, while groceries, medication and repair goods are not among the favourites.

Based on the level of clientele and the weight of e-buyers, an estimate of 54% of concert, movie and theatre tickets are bought online. “The concert, movie and theatre ticket category is the only one that has already surpassed conventional stores,” said Kersten Jõgi, commerce research expert at Kantar Emor. “The high rate of online purchases is definitively influenced by the fact that when buying a ticket, you can receive it immediately on your e-mail or phone.”

According to Marita Mägi, Head of Parcel Services at Omniva, customers have always valued fast and convenient delivery. The research also confirmed the popularity of ordering electronic devices online as around a third (31%) of the population has bought electronics online during the year. “When it comes to electronics, customers can ensure the device fits their needs based on information available online by reading reviews and getting acquainted with the pros and cons of various products. Additionally, web stores generally offer a wider selection compared to conventional stores and the parcel machine delivery option, for example, is extremely convenient,” commented Mägi.

The weight of online purchases was the lowest among groceries and medication, accounting to 4% of all purchases made. “Although ordering groceries online is gaining popularity, the current low use of the service has much to do with its limited delivery area. All the less-popular categories, however, are the ones that have been introduced in Estonian e-commerce only recently. They undoubtedly have not yet reached their full potential,” added Mägi.

When looking at the last four years as a whole, the largest growth can be seen in groups that were used by a maximum of 4% of the clientele back in 2014. This year, online purchase of toys and groceries has also seen a rapid growth.

Over two thirds (70%) of Estonians have engaged in online shopping over the past year with around half (34%) making an online purchase at least once a month. The growth in the popularity of e-commerce is also characterised by the growth in the number of frequent (once a month) online shoppers, having increased from 14% in 2014 to 34% in 2018.

The objective of the e-commerce research was to determine the level of and trends among online shopping among Estonian residents. The research was conducted in spring 2018 using a combined method in Estonian and Russian among over 1000 respondents. Outcomes of the research can be applied to all the 15 to 74-year-old residents of Estonia.